We also want to take some time to highlight a few amazing organizations in Chicago that are well worth supporting financially if you're considering sending out donations alongside or instead of traditional gift-giving this season:

• Nita's Love Train is a mutual aid endeavor based on the South Side that provides baby supplies, household essentials, hygiene products, and more. Beyond donating funds directly, you can drop off diapers, baby formula, pacifiers, baby bottles, baby wipes, toddler cups, baby and toddler socks, sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, baby detergent, dishwashing detergent, and bandaids at Call & Response or Build Coffee & Books between December 1 and 12!
• Free Root Operation addresses the root causes of gun violence through a method of critical care wraparound wellness, economic justice, and education services for women caretakers in the Chicagoland area through their BLOOM Network, a fleet of violence prevention programs.
• Chicago South Side Birth Center helps address inequities in birth outcomes by providing culturally centered midwifery care alongside families and within the community to promote wellness and abundance in whole health.
• Midwest Immigration Bond Fund facilitates a revolving immigration fund to pay immigration bonds that free individuals from ICE custody and gathers community to advocate for the abolition of immigration detention and surveilance.
• Brown Books & Paintbrushes cultivates an enriching environment through art, literacy, and cultural programming, fostering joy for young children and families. These elements not only stimulate creativity but also promote educational growth and a deeper understanding of diverse cultures.
• Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's food bank, works in partnership with a network of community-based organizations and individuals to connect neighbors with healthy food and advance solutions that address the root causes of hunger.
• EveryMom Chicago is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that connects expectant mothers in underserved communities with the material and support resources for the critical and challenging early weeks of parenthood. They provide new baby kits that include newborn, postpartum, and breastfeeding essentials to families in need of extra support. EveryMom Chicago is grounded in the belief that every mom, regardless of circumstance, deserves to feel prepared, supported, and celebrated.